THE MORALS OF CONFUCIUS

A Chinese Philosopher,

Who flourished above Five Hundred Years before the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Being one of the most choicest Pieces of Learning re­maining of that Nation.

LICENSED, Feb. 25. 1691. F. FRASER.

LONDON: Printed for Randal Taylor near Statio­ners Hall. MDCXCI.

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THE Work here Publish’d, and wherein, as in Epitome, is con­tained all the Morals of Confucius the Chinese Philosopher, is very small, if we respect the number of Pages which compose it; but it is doubtless very Great, if Consideration be had to the importance of the Things therein contain’d.

We may say that the Morals of this Philosopher are infinitely Sublime, but at the same time, pure, sensible, and drawn from the purest Fountains of Na­tural Reason. Certainly, a Reason de­stitute of the Lights of Divine Reve­lation, has never appear’d with so much Illumination and Power. And as there is not any Duty omitted by Confucius, so there is not any besides those here men­tioned. He greatly extends his Morals, but not farther than needs must; his Judgment ever telling him how far he must go, and where he must stop.

In which he has a very considerable Ad­vantage, not only over a great number of Pagan Writers, that have Treated of Things of this Nature, but likewise over several Christian Authors, who abound with so many false, or over-subtile Thoughts; who almost every where sur­pass the Bounds of their Duty, and who give themselves up to their own Fancy, or ill Humour; who almost always di­gress from that just Mean, where Vir­tue ought to be plac’d; who, by their false Portraitures do render it impossible to our Practise, and who consequently make few Virtuous Men.

The Author de la maniere de bien penser dans les Ouvrages d’Esprit, who to a stile extreamly Polite and Exact, always adds an exquisite Judgment very well remarks the weakness and falsity of these Words of a late Writer, Every one endeavours to possess the most Room he can in his own Imagination, and promotes and aggrandises himself in the World, only to Augment the Idea which every one has of himself. Behold the end of all the Ambitious Designs of Men. Alexander, &c. Caesar had no 

other Prospect in all their Battels than this.

Indeed, Alexander and Caesar might in their Battels, not only have meditated on their interiour Image, and altho’ the Thought then had, might prove true in some Occurrence, yet it could not be so in the Extent that was given it. There is therefore nothing worse Thought than what he Utters, who has Compos’d the first Treatise of the Moral Essays, and whose Words we have just mention’d.

What the Author of these Essays lays down at first, and which he who Composes the Excellent Dialogues already mention’d, would not take the Pains to revive, is al­most of this Stamp; ‘Tis even somewhat worse, to which very little Attention is requir’d. I conceive, saith he, that he who at first stil’d himself, High and Mighty Lord, look’d upon himself as Born upon the Head of his Vassals, and that it is this that he means by this Epi­thet high, so little suitable to the vile­ness of Men.

What signifies all this? or rather, How dares one from a serious and grave Air to advance Things of this Nature? What

is meant by these Words, I imagine, that he who at the first Stil’d himself, High and Mighty Lord, look’d upon himself as advanc’d over the Head of his Vassals. These Words can have but Two Senses; the one Proper, the other Figurative. The Proper and Natural Sense is, That this Lord imagin’d that his Feet were rested on the Head of his Vassals, and that he walk’d upon their Heads or Higher; and that to See and Command them, he was forc’d to look down. The Figurative Sense is, That this Lord thought himself advanc’d in Authority over his Vassals, and that his Rank and Power were much more considerable than theirs. It is evident, that unless this Lord had lost his Wits, he could not ima­gine what the first Sense signifies; and as for the second, which is Figurative, it is very true: This Lord had Reason to consider himself as advanc’d above his Subjects, it was his Right to assume Titles which denoted his Power and Authority, and he did no more than what those, whom God has ordain’d to Command others, have always done. God himself, in his Scriptures, calls them God’s, which is 

much more than High and Mighty Lords. So these other Words, This Epithete of High is so unsuitable to the lowness of Men, are no more intelligible than the former.

These Places, which we have observ’d, are not the only ones of this Nature, which are found in the Moral Essays. There are infinite other such like. And not to go from the first Treatise, can these possibly be Solid.

Altho’ Men should have made great Progress therein, (the Author Speaks of the Knowledge of Things) they would hardly be the more estimable; seeing that these Barren Sciences are so inca­pable of bringing any Fruit, and solid Contentment to them, that one is as Happy in rejecting them at first, as in carrying them by long Study, to the highest Pitch they can be carry’d.

We are only capable of knowing one single object, and one single Truth at once. The rest remains buried in our Memory, as if it was not. Behold therefore our Knowledge reduc’d to a single Object.

Who is he that is not Convinc’d, that ’tis a baseness to think himself valuable

because he is well Clad, well Hors’d, that he hath justly directed a Ball, and walks with a good Grace?

What! Do not the Sciences and Ex­cellent Discoveries render a Man more Happy, Content, and Complaisant, when he understands the right Use thereof? Is it not well known, that there are many Divines, who are of Opinion, That one of the Things which will compleat the Hap­piness of the Saints in Heaven, will be a great Knowledge of an infinite number of Truths which are unknown to us upon Earth? Is it because our Spirit can at the same time Meditate only upon one single Object, that it thence follows, that all the Knowledge of an Experienc’d Man is limited to this single Object, that he knows no other.

Behold therefore our Knowledge re­duc’d to a single Object. In fine, Is it a Baseness for a Knight, or Courtier, to think he shall be the more esteem’d, if he does what is suitable to his Rank; if among other Things, he is properly Habited, well Hors’d, and Walks with a good grace? And would he not be truly worthy of Contempt would he not discover a mean­ness 

of Mind, if he had unproper Habilli­ments, if he should take no Care and Pains to be well Hors’d, if he should Ride without any Art, or Walk like a Paisant.

We can aver, that in this Abridgement of Confucius’s Morals, nothing will be found like what we have Remarkt. We shall here see Moral Essays, which are Master-Pieces. Every Thing herein is Solid; because that right Reason, that inward Verity, which is implanted in the Soul of all Men, and which our Philoso­pher incessantly Consulted without Preju­dice, guided all his Words. Thus the Rules which he Prescribes, and the Duties to which he Exhorts, are such, that there is no Person which does not immediately give his Approbation thereunto. There is nothing of Falsity in his Reasonings, nothing Extream, none of those fright­ful Subtilties, which are observ’d in the Moral Treatises of most Mo­dern Metaphysitians,[1] that is to say, in Discourses where Simplicity, Clearness, and Perspicuity ought to prevail throughout, and make itself Sensible to Minds of the lowest Rank.

[1] Voyez le Traitte de Mo­rale de l’Autheur de la Re­cherche de la Verité.

We shall perhaps find this Maxim a little Relax’d, where Confucius saith, That there are certain Persons whom it is Lawful to Hate. Nevertheless, if the Thing be closely Consider’d, we shall find the Thought to be just and Reasonable. Virtue, indeed, Commands us to do Good to all Men, as Confucius states it; but it requires not that we should effectually have Friendship for all sorts of Persons. There are some so Odious, that it is abso­lutely impossible to Love them: For after all, we only can Love Good; we Natu­rally have an Aversion for what appears extreamly Wicked and Defective. All that Charity obliges us to do on this Ac­count, is, to shew kindness to a Person, when it is in our Power, as if we Lov’d him, notwithstanding the Vices, Malice, and great Defects, which are discover’d in him.

Seeing that opportunity offers, we shall take Notice, That the Duty of Loving our Enemies, which Iesus Christ so much Recommends in his Gospel, is generally too much stretched. This Duty is very difficult to perform in its just Extent, without our rendering it yet harder, or 

rather impossible to Practise, and capable of casting us into Despair, and of making us fall into an entire Relaxation. The generality of those that explain this Du­ty, do speak as if we were obliged to re­tain in our Hearts a tender Amity for all our Enemies, how Wicked and Abomina­ble soever they be. Yet, this is not pre­cisely that which the Son of God requires at our Hands, because he demands not Things absolutely impossible. His aim is to excite us to behave our selves towards our Enemies, whoever they be, as we do to them that we Love. Indeed, the Scrip­tures does, in several places, by to Love signifies to do Good, almost in the same manner as we do to those for whom we have a great Affection. If this were a fit occasion, we might Verifie this with several Passages. We shall satisfie our selves only with alledging the Example of God himself, which our Saviour pro­poses for our Imitation. For, after ha­ving said, Matth. 5.44.45. Love your Enemies; Bless them that Curse you; do Good to them that Hate you; and Pray for them which Despitefully 

use you, and persecute you; (for these are all as so many Synonymous Terms,) he adds, That ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven: For he maketh his Sun to Rise upon the Evil and on the Good, and sendeth his Rain on the Just and on the un-Just. Now, it is certain, That God Loves not the Wicked and Unjust, altho’ he may do them Good: He has had an extream Aversion for a Caligula, for a Nero, and other such like Monsters; altho’ he has caus’d his Sun to Shine, and sent his Rain upon them. But he has dealt with them as if he Lov’d them; and ’tis after this manner also that we ought to Deport our selves towards our Enemies. ‘Tis not that we are not bound sincerely to endea­vour, what in us lies, to retain in our Hearts some Sentiments of Friendship for them; but there are certain Persons so Lew’d, so Profligate, and so Abomina­ble, for whom it is impossible to have these Sentiments. And ’tis upon this Account that the Charity is yet greater, more ge­nerous, and Praise Worthy, when not­withstanding that Aversion which we 

cannot hinder our selves from bearing to certain Persons, we cease not to do them Good upon Occasion, with the Prospect of yielding Obedience unto God.

As for the rest, by what we have hi­thirto said it may be judg’d how exceed­ingly the Publick is beholden to the R. F. Incorcetta and Couplet, who have Tran­slated, out of Chinese into Latin, the Three Books of Confucius, from which we have Extracted this Piece of Morality, which is now divulg’d. We have Sele­cted the most important Things, and have let slip several, which, altho’ good in themselves, and particularly agreeable to the Genius of the Persons for whom they have been Said and Writ, would have seem’d, perhaps, too common and inconsi­derable in our Europe. And forasmuch, as in the Work of the R. F. Incorcetta and Couplet, a Discourse is made concern­ing the Origine of the Chinese Nation, and of the Ancientest Books which this Nation enjoys, and which were Extant, several Ages before that of Confucius, we have therefore Translated what on this account is most necessary to be known.

It is here requisite, for the Reader’s Satisfaction, to declare, That the Chi­neses, from the beginning of their Origine to the times of Confucius, have not been Idolaters; that they have not had neither false Gods nor Images; that they have paid Adoration only to the Creator of the Universe, whom they have always called Xam-ti, and to whom their third Empe­ror nam’d Hoam-ti, erected a Temple, which was probable the first that was Built to God. The Name of Xam-ti, which they attribute to God, signifies So­veraign Master, or Emperor. It is ob­servable, that there have been a great many of the Chinese Emperors that have very frequently assum’d the Sirname of Ti, which imports Master, Emperor, or that of Vam, which signifies King; that there was one Prince of the Fourth Race, who was called Xi Hoam Ti, The Great, or August Emperor; but there is not found any that has dar’d to assume the Title of Xam, that is to say, Sove­raign, and that they have always respect­fully left it to the absolute Iudge of the Universe.

It is true, that in China, Sacrifices have ever been offer’d to diverse Tutelary Angels: But in the times which preceeded Confucius, ’twas in Respect of Honour­ing them infinitely less than Xam-ti, the Souveraign Lord of the World.

The Chineses serv’d God with Extra­ordinary Pomp and Magnificence, but at the same time, with a very modest and very humble Behaviour; and said, That all this external Worship was in no wise a­greeable to the Divinity, if the Soul was not inwardly Adorn’d with Piety and Virtue. They highly Honour their Fa­thers and Mothers, and Persons advanc’d in Age. The Women were very Virtuous; and in their Habits and all their Fashions great Modesty was observ’d. The Men and Women, Nobles and Peasants, Kings and Subjects, did greatly esteem Sobriety, Frugality, Moderation, Iustice, and Virtue.

The Religion and Piety of the Chineses continued almost in this State unto the Time of the Philosopher Li Lao Kiun, who was Contemporary with Confucius, and who first declar’d there were several 

Gods. Confucius put a stop to the Tor­rent of Superstition and Idolatry, which began to overflow. But in fine, when Fohi’s Idol was brought from the Indies, that is to say, Sixty five Years after Jesus Christ, this Torrent so strongly over­flow’d, that it made an Irruption, the sad Effects whereof are still seen.

‘Twere to be wisht that there had from time to time been rais’d of these Confu­cius’s. Things would not be in the po­sture wherein they are at China. This great Man instructed, as well by his Man­ners and Example, as by his Precepts: And his Precepts are so just, so necessary, and propos’d with so much Gravity, and at the same time with so much Meekness and Ingenuity, that they must needs easily insinuate into their Hearts, and produce great Effects therein. Read only this little Treatise which is sufficient to give you a very great and plenary Satisfaction.